We are exploring the question:  What is a healthy church?  What does a healthy church actually look like?  What does that feel like? 

The church is not a building.  The church is not a provider of spiritual services.  Being the church isn’t about how many people show up on Sundays.  It’s not about how much money gets given or what programs there are.

Paul writes in Ephesians 5:25 that “Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her…”  Jesus didn’t die to save a building.  He died to save us.

The church is people - the Body of Christ.  People of the New Covenant - bought and brought together by the blood of Jesus Christ - united in Jesus Who is the Head of the Body.  Here together by the will and working of God.  Yes?

Let’s be honest with each other.  Being the Body of Christ - being the church is not always easy.  Church would be easy if wasn’t for people.

We all come here with stuff that God is working on in our lives.  Church is people who require commitment and work and patience and grace and a whole lot more.  Church is people who are as imperfect as we are.

Being the Body - healthy is a good thing.  Unhealthy is ongoing sickness that effects all of us.  Meaning that we all - with all of what we come here with - we all have a crucial part in health or unhealthy.  Healthy churches work together and through stuff and enjoy the God given rewards of health together.

What is vital to that?  Essential?  For us to be healthy?  What does that mean for each one of us?

We’re looking at 1 Timothy and vital signs of a healthy church.

Paul is writing to Timothy who’s serving with the church in Ephesus - which was in what today is western Turkey.  Paul deeply cares for Timothy and the believers in Ephesus - and the not-yet-believers in Ephesus.  Paul is writing this letter to Timothy and the church - to focus them on what’s vital for the health of the Ephesian church.  What we need to give our lives to if we’re going to be the healthy church congregation that God intends for us to be here in Merced.

In chapter 1 we first looked at the vital necessity of the sacrificial love that only comes as we surrender our lives to God and He creates love within us.  If we don’t have God’s love flowing through us we’re toast.

Then we looked at faith.  Living totally surrendered - totally committed - totally trusting God with all that we are.  Living by faith and God using us in each others lives and in ways that we can’t even begin to process.  All to His glory.

This morning we are beginning chapter two and the vital necessity of Prayer and Godly Men.

Let’s read these 8 verses together.  Then we’ll take apart what Paul is writing to Timothy.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.  For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

I desire then that in every place men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or quarreling;

Paul begins with The Priority of Prayer.  Let’s say that together, “The priority of prayer.” 

“First” is the Greek word “proton” which is where we get the English word... “Proton.”  Protons, neutrons, electrons are the elementary particles that make up the nucleus of an atom.

“First of all” meaning this is foundational - elementary - at the core of everything else.  Before we move on to step two - step one is prayer.

Paul writes, “I urge you.  I beg you.  I implore you.  As your brother in Christ - from the core of what moves me - at the core of what moves you - give yourself to this.  Pray.” 

Paul gives four - closely related - examples of communication with God. 

“Supplications” or “entreaties” are prayers for specific needs.  “God, we need money to pay the bills this month.”

“Prayers” translates the Greek word “proseuche” which is the most generic Greek word for prayer - public or private.  Like what we do here on Sunday mornings during the Service of Worship or when we’re praying in the Fireside Room at 9:30.  What we’ll be doing here next Saturday night.  Praying for ongoing needs.

Prayers like “God renew us.”  “Revive your Church.”  “God give me wisdom.”  “Increase my faith.”   

“Intercessions” are when we intercede - conversations with God about the needs of others.  “God, please help Frank to get a job.”  “Please heal Aunt Martha.”

“Thanksgivings” is an expression of gratitude.  We exist because of God.  We’re saved because of God.  God who listens to our prayers.  God who answers our prayers.  Thanksgiving offered before we see God’s answer to our prayer is about faith in God who is sovereign and loving and gracious and merciful.  Thanksgiving when we see God’s answer is essential.    “God, thank you for what you have done.” 

Paul gives Timothy and the Ephesian church - and us - a variety of ways that we can be in prayer because there are a variety of circumstances in our lives that should move us to prayer. 

Then Paul says that the people we’re praying for - in general - are all the people around us that we rub shoulders with every day - in the church - at work - school - family - people in the community.  And all the people we don’t run into every day.  Like missionaries or family and friends in far off places.  Maybe even people we’ve never met.

Specifically - Paul urges us to pray for kings and those in authority over us - public officials.  Democrats ought to pray for Republicans.  Republicans ought to pray for Democrats.  (Seriously)

What Paul writes here is intense.

Let’s be reminded that the culture of Ephesus was decidedly pagan - occult - perverted.  In Ephesus the city officials considered the church a threat to the local economy.  Being a Christian was not popular.  Far from it.  (Acts 19:21-41)

The Roman Empire saw religion as a litmus test for loyalty to the empire.  Christians didn’t go along with that.  They refused to worship the Romans gods.  The Empire saw Christianity as a threat.  To be a Christian was punishable by death.

And if we think we’ve got really bad choices in our current election cycle - consider this:  Rome is the home of the nutcase Nero.  Nero - the Roman Emperor - was depraved - insane.  He burned Rome and blamed the Christians.  At night he lit up his garden parties with Christians burning alive on crosses.  He had Christians arrested and sent to the coliseum to be torn apart by wild animals.

Imagine having Nero on the November ballot.

Paul is in Philippi.  He’s writing this letter to Timothy in 63 AD.  He’s already been in prison in Rome once.  Within 5 years Paul will be imprisoned again in Rome and martyred at the hands of Nero.

Praying for kings and those in authority over us - especially in Paul’s day - was a very intense urging on Paul’s part.  We need to pray for those who can do us harm.  Why?

Paul writes, pray - reason number one - so “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”  

“Peaceful” translates the Greek word “eremos” which is about tranquility coming from outside us.  “Quiet” translates the Greek word “esuchios” which is about tranquility coming from within us.

Godly and dignified are two Greek words that share the same root word which has to do with “reverence.”  Meaning that “godly” is about reverence towards God - the attitude by which we approach God in worship.  The other word is about reverence coming from within - an attitude of dignity in how we do life.

Putting all that together…  Reason number one for prayer is to be able to live at peace - inward - outward - free from persecution or the government interfering in our lives - living lives that are unmarred by political and social disturbance - so that we can live lives that are characterized by righteousness and moral excellence - that are respectful of God and the government authorities that God allows to rule.

Reason for prayer number two - verse 3:  This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.    

Point being that all this quietness and godliness and dignity isn’t about expanding our comfort zone - our economic opportunities.  The entreaties - prayers - petitions - and thanksgiving - isn’t about what benefits us.

God desires all people to be saved - including those who rule over us - even those who may harm us - even our enemies.  Tough to criticize and despise someone in authority - or even someone in the Body of Christ - if we’re praying sincerely for that person - asking God’s blessing on that person.  Crying out for their salvation.

The priority of prayer is about expanding opportunities to share the Gospel.  Maybe even God changing our hearts to be in tune with what God desires.  Prayer is about the mission of the church - to bring the Gospel into the brokenness of Merced and beyond.  To be harvesters in fields ripe for the harvest.

Verse 5:  For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.  For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

We live with the reality of sin every day of our lives.  Sin separates us from God.  Sin carries with it the penalty of eternal death that must be paid in order to satisfy God’s justice and yet God desires for all people to be saved.

“Mediator” - verse 5 - is a word that has the idea of a priestly mediator.  Think Old Testament priest offering sacrifices on behalf of the people.  Someone prepared by God who steps into the role of helping us overcome our inability to pay the penalty for our own sins.

There’s only one mediator - only one Savior - who died on the cross for each one of us.  Only through Jesus can our sins be forgiven and our relationship with God be restored.  Only though Jesus can our brokenness be healed.

How essential is the Gospel?  How crucial for all of us?  Absolutely crucially essential.  What lies at the heart of the heart of God.

Prayer keeps us focused on the heart of God.  What pleases Him.  What He desires.  Prayer is pleading together for God given opportunity to share the Gospel with those around us.  Prayer engages us - unites us - together in the purpose and mission of the church.

Bottom Line:  If a congregation is not in prayer together it will gradually lose focus on why it exists together.  Members will drift away or turn against each other.  The congregation will be weak - sickly - maybe even die.  Prayer is vital to church health.

Then in verse 8 Paul shifts to men.  Same teaching.  The context is prayer.  But Paul now applies that teaching to men.  The Priority of Men Praying.

Verse 8:  I desire then that in every place men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or quarreling;

“I desire - is a Greek word “boulomai” that describes heart level passionate desire.  

“Then” - meaning because of everything I just wrote - because prayer is a vital - absolutely essential - I desire with every fiber of my being - that men should pray.”   

Meaning that it is at the heart of God - pleasing to God - of vital necessity to the health of the church - that men take leadership and pray.  If men do not take leadership in prayer the church is toast.

Paul writes “that in every place men should pray.”  What place is not every place?  No place.  Every place is every place.

Every place a Godly man finds himself - work - home - church - school - restaurants - even watching football - in whatever situation or circumstance - when it’s popular or when it’s ridiculed - in public or in private - out loud or silent - continually - boldly - courageously. 

In all the hassles we went through this week.  Our employment - sickness - loneliness - inadequacy - what’s going on in our families.  Even the struggles we went through to get here this morning.  Whatever the deep issues of our lives.  Or the not-so-deep issue of our lives.

In whatever circumstances we’re in and wherever those circumstances may be it is vital that men pray.

Paul goes on:  Godly men pray “lifting up holy hands.”

Scripture gives us a number of examples of all kinds of body positions while people are worshiping God - standing - bowing - kneeling - lying flat on the ground - raising hands. 

Notice that Paul’s emphasis is not on the hands but on the holy - holy hands. 

What’s happening outwardly should demonstrate what’s going on inwardly - what’s going on at the core of who we are.  There’s a relationship between the inner and the outer.  Hands lifted up - spread open - shows a heart attitude of openness - of dependence - on God - a humble expectation of receiving something from Him.

“Holy” means that our hearts are pure - set apart for God’s use alone.  There’s nothing in our hearts - in our lives - that we’re hanging on to that’s keeping us back from being totally set apart for God’s purposes.

We supplicate - we pray - we intercede - we give thanks for others - for kings and authorities - in much the same way an Old Testament priest would enter the Temple on behalf of the nation.  Coming before God we need to keep ourselves from sin.

Paul writes about “anger” and “quarreling” - sin that was going on in the Ephesian church.  Sin that goes on in a lot congregations.  Unresolved anger - animosity that we can hang on to.  Unresolved conflict - dissension - thoughts about how to get even because of what someone has done to someone else.

We could add our own sins.  What we look at.  What we listen to.  What we involve ourselves with.  What comes out of our mouths.  The attitudes and actions towards others that we know are sin.

Sins that we know are damaging our relationship with God.  Devastating to our relationship with others.  That are hindering our prayers.  That keep us back from being the men that God has created and called us to be - in our families - in the congregation - in the community - in every place.

Holy hands lifted up reminds us that - coming before God in prayer - our hearts need to be free of sin.  Confession needs to be made.  There needs to be repentance.  Our lives need to be surrendered and turned towards God.

Are we grabbing what Paul is getting at here?

To be ready to pray means learning to live with hearts pure and open before God.  That’s what a Godly man is.

Prayer for the Godly man is a vital - essential - priority.  We must be in prayer - whenever and wherever we are - and in whatever circumstance.  That’s what a Godly man does.

Godly men leading in prayer are essential if the church is fulfill our mission in places like Merced and beyond.

Processing all that…

What Paul writes to Timothy is both challenging and encouraging.  Especially for us as men.  Next Sunday Paul is going to write about Godly women.  But here specifically for us as men what Paul writes is both challenging - in that it raises the bar for how we’re living - and encouraging - because Paul reminds us that were not left alone in how to get there.

The Challenge is for us to honestly examine how we’re living:  Are we really Godly men who pray?

Paul writes in verse 1: “First of all…”  Maybe because it seems that the first natural inclination of a man is not to lead in prayer.

More times than not, when I’m going off about something, Karen will ask, “Have you prayed about it?”  Or when we’re going through stuff Karen will be the one to suggest that we need to pray.  Which can be irritating.  Challenging.

Not that there’s anything wrong in her suggesting we pray or that I resent her suggesting that we pray.  Praise God He’s blessed me with a Godly wife who thinks that way.  But I recognize in that, that there is a weakness in how I respond to things that I am still in process.

I don’t think I’m alone in that. 

If you want to know if a congregation is healthy check out the prayer meetings.  See if the men are engaged and leading in prayer.  Most prayer meetings seem to consistently have a majority of women and if there are men, for the most part the men are pretty silent.  Which often times reflects what’s true in the home.

The point is not to guilt people and this may sound harsh.  You all know what you all have to deal with.  But, when we have times of prayer as a congregation where are the men?  If not at one of these opportunities for prayer - where are the men who are gathering and calling the congregation to prayer?

Prayer is a priority that we must engage ourselves in.  Its not an option.  It’s a vital essential.  Godly men pray.

Have you ever heard someone say, “If it wasn’t for the prayers of my mother I wouldn’t be here.”  Have you heard someone share memories of their mothers - Bibles open - each day - without fail - reading Scripture and praying?  Rarely - really rarely - do we hear someone say they were following the example of their father in prayer.

As fathers we too easily abdicate this tremendous opportunity God has given to us to influence our children.  Husbands - so many wives crave that their husbands would take spiritual leadership in the home.  God has given men that opportunity.  Since we are concerned for our kids - our grand-kids - for our marriages - we men need to lead in prayer.

A family that prays together...  stays together.  Same with the congregation.  We men need to lead that prayer.

Paul writes, “First of all I want the men to pray.”  It is essential that men assume the position of leadership that God has called us to - in love for our wives and families, this congregation, and those who need to hear the Gospel.

The Encouragement in what Paul writes is that God does not leave us hanging like being a Godly man leading in prayer is all up to us.

We men are very linear in our thinking - going from point A to point B.   Maybe you’ve noticed that?  Women will stop and ask for directions.  Men assume maps have never been invented.

Why did Moses wander in the wilderness for 40 years?

Because even back then a man wouldn’t stop and ask for directions.

It’s an insult to our manhood that someone should question our ability to get where we’re going.  Men conquer things.  Life is a challenge.  We must be victorious. 

Which is a great strength of character that God has blessed men with.  (It’s true.) 

When life gets hard a Godly man does not quit.  When everything seems against us Godly men do not run.  When Satan attacks we resist.  We fulfill our responsibilities.  We do what is right and fight for what is noble and true.  (1 Corinthians 16:13)

That strength of character is the same self-sufficient “I can do this” passion that keeps us from asking for directions.  And sometimes gets us in trouble.

It’s hard for us as men to admit that we can’t always make it from point A to point B.  That we struggle with issues in our lives.  That we have these feelings of inadequacy.  And just maybe - for us as men to take leadership in prayer is a level - a degree - of  intimacy - of a touchy feely - hanging ourselves out there vulnerability - that most of us - as men - are not comfortable with. 

As men it’s hard for us to admit that we’re inadequate for what our passions call us to.  That our freedoms, opportunities, and potential success need to be tempered with humility.  That we need to ask God for wisdom and guidance and be totally committed to do what God gives us responsibility to do.

What Paul shares in verses 4 to 7 about God’s desire for all men to come to salvation - that should encourage us.  Prayer puts us on the same page with God.  What God desires to do in us and through us.  What God has created us for as men.

Prayer really is point A to point B thinking.  Prayer gets us focused on - in the midst of the stuff of life - prayer focuses us on the basic - this is what you need to be focused on - this is what leads to success in life - the linear reality of what God is about doing in the world and what He can and will do in us and through us.

In prayer our lives become about God - His great purposes - His movement through history and what’s happening around us.  In prayer we begin to focus on God’s power and purpose in our lives - not our own inadequacies.

In Scripture there are examples for us of men in prayer at a depth of intimacy and vulnerability - and yet passion and power - strength and seeking after the heart of God - examples that are an encouragement for us to follow as we look to God to deal with our inadequacies.

Nehemiah - living in exile in Babylon - when he hears of the ruin of Jerusalem - the leveling of the city and the devastation of his people - Nehemiah is brought to his knees.  He weeps and mourns and fasts day and night.  He comes before God in anguish - in prayer.

Isaiah - brought into the presence of the holy sovereign God - Isaiah cries out, “Woe is me!  For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”  (Isaiah 6:1-7)

Daniel - in sackcloth and ashes - in prayer before God - confesses the sin of his people - their wickedness - their rebellion against God - the shame of their sin.

Daniel prays, “We have sinned...  O Lord, hear!  O Lord, forgive!”  (Daniel 9:1-19)

That is standing in the gap that’s both vulnerable and powerful.

Leading in prayer is being the man that God has created and called us to be.  God who has called us to great purposes and challenges for His glory.

Whatever the deep issues in our lives ultimately God is the only one we’re accountable to for those issues.  And, God - our Creator, our gracious and merciful Savior, our loving Heavenly Father - God who created prayer and calls us to prayer and intimacy with Him - God will never reject us or laugh at us or humiliate us or look down on us when we come to Him in prayer.  That should encourage us.

Prayer is a huge opportunity for us to take leadership in what will make a significant impact in our families - in our community - in this congregation.  A huge opportunity to lead this congregation closer to the heart of God.  A huge opportunity to lead this congregation in God’s mission of bringing the Gospel to the brokenness of Merced.

Which really is the essential core of being a Godly man - a heart open - surrendered to God - and an eagerness for the things of God.  When men pray they grow in Godliness.  When Godly men pray God uses them to make a significant lasting difference in the lives of others.

_________________________

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®  (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.